Newly minted Duke of Lyle, Max Brooke, is a former spy whose new mission in life is to discover who set the fire that destroyed his home and killed off most of his family.  He is known for taking the dirty jobs no one else can handle, but despite his rough past, seems to have a kind enough heart.  When a job included the death of a man who peddled women and children for sex, Max became a mentor to the man’s young son.

Max’s only lead on who set the deadly fire is the brother of Lady Kate Fairchild.  Kate is an interesting blend of strength and innocence.  Widowed, yet seemingly innocent, she is full of secrets.  Kate is desperate to get her brother out of jail, and when all avenues seem closed to her, she threatens to release a tell-all diary about the scandalous exploits of the politicians whose company she keeps – a diary that does not exist.

Once Max hears about this alleged diary, he knows he has a problem.  His attraction to Kate only serves to muddle his renowned instincts, as he steals the fictional diary Kate kept as an outlet for her sexual frustration, kidnaps her, and uses her as ransom against her brother.  As Max and Kate spend more time together, they discover a real chemistry, which only complicates things further.